Page 15 - SAPREF 50 year

Reflections from previous Managing Directors
Keep ‘Old Iron Maiden’ going strong Andy Warner, 1983-1988
On leaving London on my way to SAPREF in 1983, a senior member of one of the shareholders said to me: “You are going to one of the most satisfying and enjoyable positions you will ever experience in your career, no matter where you go.” He was so right.
On arrival, a colleague from Johannesburg phoned me and told me to “look after the Old Iron Maiden — she is precious”. And she was.
However, I soon realised that she was not as precious as the quality asset of the hugely dedicated and committed staff who looked after and managed her.
Through all the good times, like the successful commissioning of Feed Prep Unit 2, and troubled ones like the ‘Great Flood’ of 1987, they never failed to turn up trumps. That is something I shall remember always.
I am sure that same spirit of dedication and commitment to manage and look after the ‘Old Iron Maiden’ will prevail for another 50 years.
Good luck to you all.
Building a well-oiled machine
Peter Fransen, 1993-1999
Some months after my arrival in South Africa in 1993 — a few days after Chris Hani was assassinated — I was invited by a bank to a lunch with other Durban businesmen. I was introduced as the new MD of SAPREF and asked what I thought of South Africa. I said it was too early, but my first impression was that there were good prospects for South Africa and that I was fascinated with my new job.
One of the guests reacted: “Well, Mr Fransen, you are coming to South Africa to take up a new assignment while most of us are at least contemplating leaving the country.” They thought the unrest in Durban following Hani’s killing was indicative of the beginning of an unstable future.
I said that — on the contrary — I was impressed by the moderate reaction of the population after the assassination of one of their leaders, and by the call for a restrained reaction by the leadership of the ANC and Inkatha. In my country — the Netherlands — we have seen worse rioting after a soccer match gone bad ...
In other words I was very hopeful for South Africa’s future and I saw great opportunities for SAPREF. In the following years we completed the FOX Project on time and within budget, we almost reached 10 million man hours without a lost time injury and our staff developed into a coherent and efficient team. I am proud to have contributed to that development and I congratulate all people associated with SAPREF on what has been achieved.
COMMEMORATING 50 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE
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